


Salvation

by Writer3122



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Mirror Universe, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2017-11-04 00:03:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/387434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer3122/pseuds/Writer3122
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a universe under the gentle control of the Asari Empire, a chance meeting of two kindred spirits and their part in the salvation of the galaxy is simply fated to happen.</p><p>Work in progress borne from the kink meme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Stars Align

**Author's Note:**

> "An AU of an AU!? STOP! YOU AM PLAY GODS!!!
> 
> Also, just throwing this out there: the meme needs more Mirrorverse. I'd have serious concerns for the freedom of mankind if a race like the asari came into atmo and started bossing people around. Hell, just look at V.
> 
> Original prompt: http://masseffectkink.livejournal.com/2790.html?thread=4649446#t4649446"
> 
> I'm still feeling my way around the tag system, so if I've made a mistake with this I apologize in advance. To clarify exactly what this is, this is a different take on the ME kink meme's Mirror Universe for Mass Effect; an Alternate Universe of an Alternate Universe. The original Mirror Universe (the ME one, not the Star Trek one) had certain details and plot points I've ignored for this story out of rejection or sheer ignorance.

Liara T'Soni had a lot on her mind. With the sudden defection of her mother Benezia to the renegade turian Saren Arterius and his faction, Liara found herself with what remained of House T'Soni in her young hands. With the house's name slipping in the absence of its chief matriarch, Liara's hands were tied; any political moves she could take would be dismissed as damage control, and could only possibly further harm her house's reputation. In times like this, it was best if all concerned simply stayed their course; for the small army of assistants, managers, directors and personal assistants that tended to House T'Soni's holdings it meant business as usual, for Liara it meant finishing her thesis and completing her doctorate at the University of Serrice.

That would be the reason behind her presence on the Destiny Ascension, currently on their way to Rannoch and the Quarian States. There was a fresh dig site on Therum, and Liara saw in it enough potential to warrant a trip across the galaxy. It did, however, mean crossing the Attican Traverse; the Asari Empire had not made many friends in that section of space. Laying outside of official Imperial territory, the Traverse was a breeding ground for rogue elements unhappy with the asari's dominion, which is what had Liara in the Ascension's brig and not in the mess hall. Liara bit gently at the sanalas she had grabbed on the way down, feeling her cheeks tingle at the fruit's taste. Archaeology of her particular niche was something of a lonely field, and Liara pounced on anything to break up the monotony.

"Liara T'Soni, head of House T'Soni," Liara declared as she reached the warden, "I'd like to see the prisoner."

The warden nodded, beckoning Liara to a cell not far from the entrance.

The poor girl looked terrified, wide-eyed and slightly swaying back and forth. It was hard to blame her, bring imprisoned on an asari dreadnought awaiting processing in a slave center. The red mop of hair was mussed up, hanging over the knees clutched tightly to her chest, huddled in the corner of her cell. Her feet and knees shone with fresh bruises that went along with grazes and cuts on her arms, and bright self-inflicted scratch marks on her left forearm. Liara couldn't see any more injuries, but there could be more hidden from view by a scant camisole and underwear. Someone had supplied her with a coat, which she had draped over her mostly bare shoulders. The girl's eyes glanced upward, still wide with fear, finding the first asari she'd have likely seen not in military fatigues.

"Why did you strip her?" Liara asked the warden.

"Didn't," came the reply, "She's as she was found, aside from the coat and the omnitool we confiscated."

"Can I speak with her?"

"Speak? What for, ma'am?"

Liara thought about it for a moment. Why did she want to talk to her? Dirty little human shouldn't matter one way or the other to her. "Call it curiosity."

"Fair enough," the warden acquiesced, "I'll have to lock you in there, though. How are your fields?"

"They will suffice." The warden opened the cell door, and Liara paced inside.

The girl watched Liara's feet as she approached, but otherwise didn't move. Liara carefully lowered herself to a crouch, perching on the balls of her feet. She took another nibble at her sanalas as she studied the girl. Eventually, she offered it to her. "I'm told it tastes like mango," Liara explained. "If you're hungry."

The girl lifted her trembling arms, closing around Liara's own as it clasped the fruit. She raised her head, gently pulling the fruit to her lips to take a bite. After she had taken a couple of mouthfuls she released Liara's hand, still clearly nervous but at the very least with redder cheeks. She lowered her head in silent appreciation, closing her eyes and snivelling.

"What is your name, little one?"

"J-Jane," the poor thing stammered, "Jane Shepard, CSV Ge-Geneva, f... first year c-cadet..." Jane tried to continue, before breaking down into tears.

Liara hushed the child. "It's okay, little one. No one will hurt you, not while I am here."

It quieted her cries, but the trembling remained. "Jane, this is a little embarrassing, but could you lend me your coat for a moment?"

Jane's trembling hands reached over her shoulder, grasping the coat that had been draped over her and presenting it to the asari. "Place it under my knees," she beckoned. Jane did as she was asked, which allowed Liara to rest her legs. She responded to instruction well. "Thank you, little one."

Jane stayed silent. Liara understood why; the Geneva fell in an operation just days ago. After the Asari Empire had first moved against humanity, a group of human rebels had seized what remained of Earth's fleets and had been making a nuisance of themselves capturing supply vessels. The Cerberus group, as they had begun to call themselves, became cocky, they attempted the same trick one too many times. Barely six days ago, while the Geneva's boarding parties occupied themselves with ransacking a fresh target, the civilians still aboard the Geneva found themselves staring into the blue glow of the Destiny Ascension, lying in wait. The boarding parties returned to find whole platoons of asari commandoes waiting for them. They were not gentle; some of the other survivors reported nightmares about drowning and manta rays.

The Geneva had been repurposed and under Imperial control nearly a week now, so it came as a surprise to find a human had managed to stay aboard undetected. The young girl apparently had a knack for tech, keeping out of sight with some form of camoflage app in her omnitool. Reports from the mess hall about disappearing provisions and ghostly bumps led to a wardrobe in one of the officers' quarters, and a hysteric girl no older than fourteen clawing at her wrist in an effort to get her sabotaged omnitool working again. Liara wanted to think that the guards that found her were just inexperienced, and that the bumps and bruises on the near naked girl were just poorly aimed biotic pushes, pulls and lifts to get the girl to stay still; given the condition of Liara's room once they'd removed the girl from it, it was more likely that she had been treated cruelly by her captors during transport onto the asari dreadnought.

"Jane, I -"

"Shepard." The girl looked up, meeting the asari's gaze. "My class had three Janes, so everyone... called me Shepard..."

Liara nodded gently. "Shepard," she obliged the girl, "My name is Liara T'Soni. I'm a researcher."

"Lia-" Shepard began, before correcting herself. "Ms. T'Soni." The asari had a reputation amongst the lower castes, with a very clear and simple rule; treat them with respect, avoid getting tortured. "You aren't with the military?"

"No, I am not," the asari answered, "I'm on assignment to a prothean ruin on Therum. This ship was simply going in the same direction."

"Why are you here?"

"Curiosity, mostly," the asari answered. "The name of my house does still command respect. Besides, the room in which you were found was set aside for me while aboard."

"Oh..." Shepard went silent, doubtlessly mulling over the events of her capture. Liara decided to divert the discussion slightly.

"You managed to go undetected for a week aboard an Empire-controlled ship staffed with a complete operations crew, with nothing but an omnitool and your underclothes. That is very impressive." Shepard made no reaction, fearful of a reprisal of some sort. Liara took another mouthful of fruit. "Your omnitool wasn't standard issue, was it?"

Shepard shook her head. "Nexus-five," she muttered, "Arm-Armali model. Better cooldown."

"I see," Liara nodded, "As long as you kept the omnitool charged, you could remain invisible with that cloak of yours. I wasn't aware the rebels had anything of this caliber..."

Shepard became deathly still. Liara quietly scolded herself; the last thing she wanted was to put the fear of torture into her by bringing up the rebels. "Where did you find a Nexus-five?"

"Friend of a friend," Shepard replied. "Turian gone rogue... Took some credits and my B-Bluewire-four in return."

"I would've guessed it was a gift," Liara thought aloud, "From your parents, maybe?"

"My father's dead," Shepard said curtly, "Went down with the SSV London. Mom's too busy hating everything asari to care about me."

"I'm sorry," Liara said hastily, placing the last of the fruit delicately in her mouth. "I didn't mean to... what about the app? I can't think of any commercial cloaking device outside of the Quarian States, and even that is high-grade military software. Where did you get that?"

Shepard gave a shaky smile. "My own," she said, "Immediate t-topography, captured and projected in realtime. It's just a camera, projector, and balancing the light channels."

"Clever," Liara commended, shifting her weight. "Do you know what I do for a living? I go from site to site, from garden worlds, to bare rocks, sometimes even warzones, looking for artifacts like the ones on Therum. It can get very dangerous at times. Something like your program would be very useful to me."

"I'm afraid I'm not in a position to sell it on right now, Ms. T'Soni," Shepard risked a little humor, a little more comfortable in the presence of the asari now. Liara smiled gently in return. Even in as desperate a plight as she was, this Shepard girl still had the capacity for a little spine.

"I don't need to explain your situation to you, do I?" Shepard shook her head.

"Your friends were taken as well," Liara said, not to goad but to inform, "Some surrendered peacefully; they are already on their way to the core planets for sale at state auction. They will be bought and bound to entrepreneurs, business owners, possibly nobles. It will be a good life for them, if they embrace it."

"Others were less cooperative," she continued, "They will go no further than the outer worlds, and those that take them in will be far less hospitable." Shepard nodded slowly, the conversation with the asari taking a more serious turn. Her face cringed, her body resuming the back-and-forth motion from before Liara entered.

Liara placed a hand on each of the girl's shoulders. "I have a third option for you," Liara offered, "I can make use of someone with your ingenuity, and you will want for nothing under me. Swear yourself to House T'Soni. You will stay here while on-board, but join me when I leave for Therum. You will be a slave, but it will spare you the shame of the auction houses."

Shepard crumbled at those words, her face contorting with anguish as tears fell onto her knees. "I'm not... I don't..." She was babbling.

"I know what you feel, Jane. That pressure in your chest, that tightness in your gut..." Liara placed a hand on the human's back, feeling the girl flinch under her touch before yielding. "The rocking helps, but it doesn't stop it. I have seen it before in others of your situation. Do you know what it is? It's not fear; it's pride."

Blue fingers wove gently through the girl's russet hair. "Years of believing your race has any purpose in the galaxy other than to serve us has cursed you. It's a burden of doubt that has your body questioning itself. Your pride has you hesitating, it won't let you take your rightful place. It has you convinced that serving me is wrong."

"It is a fool's pride. Your pride is a prison, keeping you from knowing the bliss of having a true place. It fills you with this sickening tightness and tries to scare you away from salvation. A beautiful creature with as much potential as you has no need for pride. Not yet. What you need right now is courage; the courage to break free from your false pride. Shake off your pride, and kneel to me. I will give you something you may hold true pride in; a place at my side in the noble House T'soni. I will give you the love that your race's desperate pride denied you. I will give your life meaning. I will give you someone whose happiness will be to you as ambrosia."

"I can't... I can't do it," Shepard sobbed in the asari's arms, "Not alone..."

"You won't be alone, little one." Shepard met Liara's gaze, and the asari felt her eyes cloud over to an inky black.

She felt the young human in her mind, watching fragments from history. The complete absence of a father. Liara's mother turning away from a young asari, no older than herself in asari years, distracted by an important message. The dedication to her studies while others her age went off dancing and drinking. Prothean ruins all across the galaxy, nearly all devoid of life, Liara's clear voice singing to itself as she worked, the lyrics echoing in empty caves and halls. Hours and hours in a private shuttle, with nothing to break the boredom but cliffnotes on her travels and her own lonesome soul.

In turn, Liara was shown more of the child's mind. A dozen different bunk rooms, almost one for as many years alive. The worn, staticky picture of her mother, buried deep in a half-empty footlocker. Gruelling nighttime sniper training in a secret base on Noveria. The thrill of testing her home made cloak after lights-out. Staring longingly at friends' pictures of home; solid ground, cities, farms, weatherboard houses, plains, deserts, oceans... these images faded, as Shepard discovered Liara's memories of home; a large house on Thessia, overlooking a cityscape vaster than anything she's seen in mere pictures. Her mind's eye whirred faster, images real and imaginary interspersing like a crude vid of Shepard in a real, honest-to-God (Goddess) house, as Liara felt the beginnings of a deep change in the girl's demeanor.

Liara felt the crushing sensation against her chest that was slowly consuming Jane, a fluttering of nerves in her belly. Shepard seemed to be waiting for the deep breath before a plunge, one that would last a lifetime. For Liara, the act of embracing another's mind with hers was as natural as reading a book, but it brought forth a host of confused reactions from the young girl. It's okay, Liara tried to calm the child, I care for all my belongings; you will be no different. This is normal, this is me, here for you. Shepard's mind slowly bloomed for the asari, hesitance and doubt slowly making way for a warm appreciation, as Liara was shaken from her near trance by thin arms flying around her waist, the girl's head pressing against the asari's torso as the human's emotional dam cracked and burst.

"Yes," she sobbed, the clinging to the asari. "Please..."

Liara looked down and smiled, nestling her cheek against Jane's hair as her own hands embraced the girl. Hearing the girl's outburst was testing Liara's own emotional boundaries, eyes watering in simple awe at Jane's overwhelming relief.

"It is still two days until Therum, little one."

"Can I come with you?" Shepard asked quietly.

"I will visit you again before. I can bring back more sanalas if you'd like?"

"The fruit? Someone said it tasted like mango?" Shepard looked up. "They think too much of mangoes."

Liara gave a short chuckle. "We should tell her when we get the chance." Liara began to extricate herself from the... her girl, now not nearly as frightened by her predicament. "I trust you'll be able to behave yourself without me?" she asked, moving for the exit.

"Yes, uh, Ma'am," she said sheepishly.

Liara smiled, knocking on the door. The warden looked into the cell, then opened up. "Make me proud, Jane Shepard." Liara commanded her, and with that she left the cell.

The guard shut the cell after Liara, and stood ready to answer a question she seemed to know was coming.

"I want her. Who do I talk to?" Liara asked.

"Executive office is on deck five, Ms. T'Soni," the guard answered her. "Be prepared to negotiate price."

Liara nodded, and was on her way. The guard looked back to the prisoner, no longer near comatose with fear, laying face up on the hard cot, staring into the ceiling with something near hope in her eyes. The guard nearly burst out laughing; terrified Cerberus cadet turned loyal house servant? She could be a poster-child for the subjugation effort. She could be a damned icon.


	2. Faith Returned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young Jane Shepard soon proves herself worth Liara's investment.

The only thing interfering with their work was the cursed heat. Liara knew Therum was a hot planet, but opening the shuttle was like running face-first into a wall of hot; the sort of heat one could feel in one's eyeballs. Poor Shepard had just been given some reclaimed clothing before she left the Destiny Ascension with Liara, and it was too hot on Therum to wear any of it. She'd settled on some looser fitting pants and a short sleeved shirt; thankfully it was a dry heat.

The cave was hard enough to access on foot, let alone in a shuttle; Liara had no choice but to park a good distance away from the entrance. It meant a short walk in the midst of the heat, but thankfully the cave itself ran deep and cool. Shepard was adjusting very quickly to her new job. Liara had shown her how to set up some rudimentary security with an omnitool, showed her what to look for in rock types and patterns, the girl had even managed to uncover something. Liara then used this to teach him some basic language skills. With a few months of real training, Shepard could be a very useful asset on trips such as these.

“Do you see these symbols? The race here during the prothean era used a form of hieroglyphs,” Liara explained, “Each of these characters is likely based on some form of native life that existed in their time.”

“Can you understand it?” Shepard asked.

“Only some of it,” the asari replied, “This passage refers to a prothean facility of some sort in the area, some sort of... they took the natives there, that much is certain...”

Shepard gazed at the ancient writings with more than a passing curiosity. “What were the protheans like?”

“That's my job,” Liara answered proudly, “To figure it out.”

“And?”

“Not so different from the asari, from what I can tell,” she surmised, “Traces of prothean life can be found all over the galaxy, which suggests they'd colonised a great number of planets. They were highly advanced, they had forms of technology even the asari can't quite grasp. Aside from that, I...”

Liara was interrupted by Shepard's omnitool beeping at her. Shepard raised her arm to see what it wanted.

"Ms. T'Soni, there's someone coming," Shepard reported, eyeing her omnitool with concern. "They don't look friendly..."

Liara cursed her luck. Their shuttle was out in the open; they'd know someone was in the cave. "Shepard, they only know there's someone down here, they won't be looking for a child." Liara said quietly, "I want you to take that back passage and run."

"Sorry?"

"Run!" Liara hissed, shepherding the girl towards the opening in the back of the cave.

Shepard looked Liara in the eyes, conflicted at the thought of abandoning Liara, before turning tail for the alcove. The asari turned towards the way she came in, waiting for whoever was coming. A tallish man emerged, human and unarmed, soon joined by a shorter, stockier batarian. Both of them looked the asari up and down, the growing smiles on their faces giving Liara an indication of what they were here for.

"Well, look at what we have here." He pulled out a pistol, leveling it at Liara's head. "A blue whore."

"You've got a thing for the blue ones, don't you, Foral?"

"Yup," the batarian sneered, "they have this really high squeak when you bite into their neck. The purple ones try and tough it out, fight back."

The human chuckled. "Have I ever told you you're a real sicko, man?"

The batarian didn't bat an eyelid, still leering at Liara past the pistol. "Yup."

Liara eyed the human. "Do your owners know you're here?" she asked. "I can't imagine they would be too happy if they heard you left the refinery."

The human's demeanour changed very quickly. "Typical asari bitch," he growled, "Thinking anyone not a shade of blue is a slave. Reckon you need to be knocked down a peg or two."

Liara kept her cool. This wasn't the first time she'd found herself outnumbered, and it wouldn't be the last. "You should've just shot me," she said coolly, "You're two thugs with one gun up against someone who could strip your skeleton with her mind."

"Can you do two at once?" the human goaded. "If not, I bet there's something else you can do two of at once..."

Liara gestured at the batarian, and a blue plume of energy sent the batarian careening back-first into a particularly awkward looking rock. The human watched him go, before turning back to Liara, eyes wide.

"This is how this is going to work," Liara began, pacing steadily toward the human, "I'm going to br-"

Liara's head jolted as a flash of blue erupted from in front of her, her body collapsing with a pained groan. The human leaned back and roared with laughter as Liara clutched her throbbing head. It most likely would've been a fatal shot if not for her biotic barrier, but the blow was making it hard to concentrate.

"Don't worry, sweety," the human grinned, "it's only a concussion round. We still want some fun with you."

A shout came from further back in the cave. A third man, a sniper. "How's Foral?"

The human looked back at his batarian friend, posed awkwardly against the wall. "Dead," he shouted, "Spine damn near split in two."

"Eh, more pussy for me," the sniper replied, "Damn four-eyes... Coming down." The human turned back to Liara, standing over her as she tried desperately to get her head back into working order. She limply gestured at the man, with no reaction; her biotics weren't working.

"Now let me tell YOU how this is going to work," the human growled, pulling a knife from the small of his back, "We're going to have a little fun with you, then we're stripping you, taking your ship and getting off this rock. You can see if you can make it to that refinery. Oh, don't worry, you'll be naked and it's pretty cold for Therum today, you should make it a few miles before the heat..."

"Rraagh!" The shrill cry echoed throughout the cave. Liara could concentrate just hard enough to see something shimmer in front of the man before he doubled over, letting out a tortured cry as he clutched his groin. Something hit his head, sending him to the ground.

"Shepard!?" Liara groaned, trying to figure out exactly where the girl was.

"Nathe! What's going on!?" the sniper cried, accompanied by hurried shuffling as he navigated the uneven terrain.

Without the human standing over her Liara had a chance, even with one more person on his way. Her head throbbed, but she could feel her faculties beginning to return. She lifted herself to her knees, trying to drag herself over to her pistol. As if it were a miracle, she watched the gun raise into the air and fly to her, bouncing with each step Shepard took carrying it. Liara took it and heaved herself onto her feet, watching the entrance across the room, fighting through the haze of a concussion as she staggered to the back way.

The sniper rounded the corner, rifle held by the barrel, seeing the asari standing over his prone friend. Liara didn't hesitate; it was a live-or-die gamble, but she wasn't going to beat a sniper in a protracted gunfight. She flung her hand forward, a ball of biotic energy blooming over the man's chest, tipping him upside down. The man grimaced as he fumbled the rifle, watching it dropping to the ground as the singularity lifted him into the air away from it. Liara smirked, the situation not possibly playing out better for her. She raised the pistol and fired five rounds, three nailing the man in the chest.

Liara let out a sigh of relief as the man began to bleed into the gravity hole, letting herself sink to her knees. "Oh, Goddess, Shepard," she breathed, "I told you to run!"

"And leave you with them?" Shepard came back into view, having shut off the cloak, walking over to help Liara up. "No..."

"But, why?" Liara had to ask. "You could've got away, I wouldn't have been able to stop you."

"It just made sense, I guess. You saved me and all..." Shepard nestled herself underneath Liara's arm, pulling the asari to her feet. "Besides, I had fun today. Well, until they came. And... well..." The young girl went a little red. "It's sort of embarrassing, but honestly? I want to see Thessia..."

Liara shrugged her arm, gathering the smaller girl in it and pulling her into a gentle hug. "Thank you, either way," she said simply as Shepard stood there, happily accepting her gratitude. "I think we're done for today anyway."

"Will you need help back to the shuttle?"

"Maybe just in the cave," Liara answered, trying not to slump over on Shepard too much, "I won't weigh you down once we're outside."

"What about him?" Shepard asked, gesturing to the man she had knocked out.

"Leave him," Liara dismissed the thug, "We'll tell the refinery to pick them up on our way out." Shepard stayed silent, focusing on getting them both out of the cave. "You... are okay with leaving them?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Shepard would've shrugged if it weren't for Liara, "They're scum."

"Really, Shepard," Liara pressed the issue, "You know what I am talking about."

"What would you like me to say?" Shepard said, not comfortable with where the conversation was heading, "Am I comfortable with the concept of human slavery? Not really. Am I okay with these guys slaving away in a foundry the rest of their lives? Very."

"Fair enough," Liara accepted, letting the young human help her onwards. It was clear that Shepard knew what going to Thessia meant for her, but still she accepted it, even wanted to come. Liara was thankful for saving her life, but even despite being (at least in her mind) a better owner, what she offered Shepard was still slavery. What exactly was her life beforehand like, to want slavery? Was Cerberus that bad an environment?

"Can I take this?"

Liara turned to Shepard, gesturing to the fallen man's rifle. "Can you even use it?"

She picked up the gun, examining it as if it were a new toy. "Titan-three," she said, "Relatively cheap to make, sturdy, accurate, reasonable stopping power. Good entry level sniper equipment." She turned her head up towards Liara. "It's a Cerberus gun."

Liara barely had the energy to react, but the ramifications struck home. At least one of the group wasn't just another runaway. Was she followed? Was the capture of the Geneva being watched? Was it all some sort of trap? She'd already melded with Shepard; about the only thing she could be sure of was that whatever was happening had nothing to do with the girl.

"Take it with us," Liara said, "but I don't want you playing with it."

She could tell Shepard wanted to ask why not, but to her credit she held her tongue. "Okay," she acquiesced, folding up the weapon and strapping it to her back before returning to Liara's side. The two of them slowly trudged out of the cave, happy to put the whole affair behind them; speculating about the Cerberus sniper and what he was doing there could wait until she was back home.


	3. Learning to Act Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Shepard, it's a new life to learn. For Liara, it's a return to tiresome problems.

"Athame, Lucen, and... Janiris."

"Janiri," Liara corrected, "the holiday Janiris is named after her."

"Right... Janiri."

"What did Athame give us?"

"Medicine, mathematics," Jane answered, "And 'By the Goddess'."

"Janiri?"

"She gave you agriculture, and understanding the seasons. And Lucen taught you astrology."

"That's correct." Liara placed a hand over Jane's shoulder. Us, she thought silently, not me. You are part of the Asari Empire now; the Goddesses' gifts are yours as well.

The Indenture Acquisitions department seemed to be taking their time with Shepard's registration as Liara's property; it wouldn't be safe for Shepard outside the T'Soni penthouse until it was taken care of. She'd been cooped up there for nearly a week, and the novelty of her new environment was beginning to wear thin. Liara could still remember the priceless look on the young girl's face as they broke atmosphere; the only other time she had been on a planet, she had said, was at night for a training exercise. It was her first sunset, and was later followed by her first real bed. By the time her first week on Thessia was over, there were many other firsts.

"I'm not sure why I'm studying the old gods," Shepard pondered aloud, "I'd thought siari was more popular?"

Liara turned back to Shepard. "'Goddesses'."

"Goddesses," Shepard repeated, bowing in recognition of her mistake. No gods amongst the asari, Shepard sighed, consigned to the fact she had nearly a decade and a half of human vernacular and gender pronouns to all but unlearn.

"Siari has its roots in the old beliefs," Liara answered, "While the fact that people like you are here lends more to all life being equal, siari still has a pantheon, and simulacrums of Athame, Lucen and Janiri are all close to the top of it. Think of humanity's Jupiter and Zeus; both hold domain over sky and thunder, both the head of their respective pantheons..."

"Mmm..." Shepard took her mistress' comparison into account.

"Understanding of our culture will help you better ingratiate yourself here," Liara explained with a smile, "A negotiation will have a better chance of success if a representative's greeting of 'May Athame's grace bless this house' doesn't earn a confused look from my personal servant."

Shepard nodded. "So, Athame; head goddess, medicine, mathematics. Lucen; astrology. Janiri;" she revised, stressing the lack of an S at the end of the goddess' name, "agriculture, seasons."

"Very good. Let us take a break from religion." Liara sat down at the table, opposite Jane. Liara made a few touches on the table, and a holograph flickered into view; a galaxy map. "I'd like to hear the state of the galaxy from the perspective of a Cerberus cadet."

Shepard flinched. The girl seemed to still be touchy about any mention of the human rebels. "Shepard, you are not with them any more," Liara said patiently, "You are a loyal indentured servant to the Asari Empire. You've saved the life of the head of a noble house. You have no reason to feel guilty each time someone mentions a rebel group, least of all one you were born into."

Shepard bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Ms. T'Soni."

Liara almost chided her for apologizing again, but decided against it, not finding the sense in making her feel any more guilty. "Now, show me the Asari Empire." Shepard waved across nearly three quarters of the map, covering everything except the Attican Traverse and the galactic core.

"That is mostly true," Liara commented, "You will eventually learn to account for individual interpretations of 'empire'. The more pragmatic people will only consider the first colonized systems Imperial territory, others will include territory of all the subjugated races as well. Particularly arrogant people will say the Asari Empire covers the entire galaxy. It's especially best you take this into account when speaking of Systems Alliance territory, some of my associates may be offended by a human speaking too highly of themselves."

"Themselves?" Shepard repeated. "I've never been Alliance."

"But many will assume you are," Liara interrupted, "and it's safer if you keep it that way. You may not have been brought up to think well of the Alliance, but the Earth governments that surrendered to the Empire are seen in a better light than those that fought us."

Shepard nodded. "Yes, Ms. T'Soni."

"I never promised this would be easy for you," Liara said gently, "Only easier."

Shepard's eyes wandered. "I know, Ms. T'Soni," she sighed, "I just prefer the field work with you." She gazed up. "Makes me feel useful."

The simplicity of it blindsided Liara. Sometimes Shepard was capable of saying some of the most unexpected things. Liara laughed aloud, incredulous. "And I am very thankful for that, child," she assured her, "but days like this will allow you to be just as useful here as well."

A chime from the hallway informed Liara her attention was required in the hall. "Now come on," Liara stood up, beckoning Shepard to do the same. "Hopefully your afternoon will be a little more fun."

Shepard followed Liara into the main hall, where another asari was waiting. She was dressed mostly in dark grey and dull blue, her magenta skin in stark contrast to Liara's. She was slightly taller than Liara, more solidly built, with a moth-like pattern of darker skin over her eyes.

"Liara T'Soni," the woman greeted her, "it is good to see our house has survived the loss of her matriarch."

"You served my mother loyally," Liara responded, "Your continued support of House T'Soni is more than welcome."

"So, this is the one I'm to train?" she said, appraising Shepard head to toe.

"Yes. Jane Shepard, this is a commando from the unit that served my mother, Benezia."

"Hello, Jane," she spoke to the girl for the first time, "You can call me Shiala."

"It's an honor, Ms. Shiala," Shepard bowed as Liara had taught her, "If it pleases you, I prefer Shepard."

Shiala nodded. "She's well-spoken, ma'am," Shiala praised her, "She'll make a fine assistant. Now if you please, I'd like to debrief before I start with Shepard..."

"I'm afraid I have other business to attend to this afternoon," Liara refused, "If it's that important we shall talk first thing tomorrow."

"As you wish, ma'am," Shiala turned to the young human. "Come, Shepard."

Shepard followed as instructed, but her mind buzzed. "You will train me?" she asked. "What in?"

Shepard could almost feel Shiala grin. "I've been told you'd started basic training with Cerberus," she said, "so you were learning how to fight like a human. I'm here to teach you how to fight like an asari."

\---

"Most girls who see service recieve at least ten to fifteen years of training," Shiala explained, "I've been instructed to give you the same training. It isn't going to be easy on you."

"Nothing good is ever easy, ma'am," Shepard replied.

"That's a nice attitude," Shiala lauded. "Let's see where you are now." Shiala stood facing Shepard, arms at her sides. "Try to knock me down."

Shepard had to double-take. The asari was nearly three feet taller than her, and had a great reach advantage. She shook her head, taking up a defensive posture, her hesitance showing on her face.

Shiala chuckled. "I don't expect you to," she assured the girl, "I just want to see you try."

Shepard nodded, and considered how to best do it for a moment. She then sprung into action, breaking into a run before rolling, using her arms to boost her into a slide aimed at Shiala's ankles. Shiala kicked away from the floor, flipping over the human girl as she flew underneath, landing a good ten feet behind Shepard, who slid to a halt and turned.

"Taller target and you go for the foundations," Shiala noted aloud, "Reasonable strategy, but you won't often catch a target so flat-footed, least of all from the front.."

Shepard huffed out a sharp breath, before running in again and lunging with a punch. Shiala tapped the blow aside, raising a knee to catch Shepard in the chest. Shepard's free hand caught the knee, pushing downwards to lift her up onto Shiala's shoulders. The asari turned her body and stepped away, tangling Shepard's arms and bringing her back to the floor, which allowed Shiala to gently push her away.

"Good improvisation," Shiala commended, "but you're too short to use that sort of move against me. You take too long to get into position, and you had to rely on my knee to get you there."

The whole process was beginning to get on Shepard's nerves, but she appreciated the comments, if only for giving the girl enough time to think of a new strategy. With one in mind, she charged once more...

\---

Liara still wasn't quite used to looking at people from over her mother's business desk. They were large shoes to fill; Benezia enjoyed control over every aspect of her house's holdings. The transitional phase as control went to Liara would likely be something of a holiday for her underlings, and given her inexperience, it was likely to remain that way for some time to come. And even with the pressures of maintaining a house, there were other responsibilities that needed to be seen to.

"I'm not sure why you're here, Sergeant," Liara asked across the desk, "The necessary applications should have been forwarded to Indenture Acquisitions last week."

"Your information is all in order, Ms. T'Soni," the officer answered, datapad in front of her on the desk, "This is a routine follow-up for servants of her age, not to mention her origins. With young Shepard's background, we need to be certain you aren't taking in a double agent."

"I'm aware that she was essentially born into Cerberus," Liara responded wearily, "and that she was old enough to warrant placing as a first year cadet. If there were even the remotest chance of that happening, I wouldn't have offered her a place with me."

The officer was beginning to get weary of the whole discussion. "Look, Ms. T'Soni," she tried to assure her, "personally I'd happily take the word of a house head, but my superiors won't. I have to follow procedure on this. Besides, and let me assure you I mean this with all due respect, last month I don't think anyone would've thought there was the remotest chance of Matriarch Benezia abandoning her house."

Liara had known the officer would've brought that up at some point. There was little she could do but take it as gracefully as possible. "I am not Matriarch Benezia," Liara smiled through clenched teeth, "but if your superiors believe it's pertinent I will answer any questions you have.”

The sergeant was happy to get to the heart of the matter. "Your intended acquisition is Jane Shepard, first year cadet aboard the Cerberus vessel Geneva, correct?"

"Yes."

"Are you aware of her age?"

"Yes, she's fourteen."

"Have arrangements been made for the child to undergo cultural adaptation classes?"

"I am tutoring her personally," Liara answered, "she's also being assigned private tutors to continue a regular education."

\---

Shepard gasped for breath. It seemed that Shiala was starting to get bored; a fist that could probably have been a little faster had been punished with a gentle slug to the gut, briefly compressing the girl's lungs.

"If you're getting tired, we can rest a bit," Shiala offered a break, "I can talk you through a couple of exercises."

Shepard shook her head. Shiala was showing openings; Shepard couldn't shake the feeling that the asari was trying to let her win. That anything short would be disappointing. That's how asari fight. But Shepard didn't know how to fight like an asari. She knew how to fight like a human. That was it. She had to fight like a human.

And when facing insurmountable odds she had to do what all humans do, Shepard thought to herself as she reached for her omnitool and waited for her form to shimmer out of sight.

Cheat.

\---

"What can you tell me of her parents? Will there be anyone looking to liberate her?"

"Her father is dead," Liara answered, "Her mother is still with Cerberus. Jane does not seem particularly close to either."

"What makes you say that?"

"I melded with her. She was getting hysterical aboard the Ascension, so I calmed her down."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly standard procedure... Never mind. Is there anything else you can tell me about her time with Cerberus?"

"There isn't much to say," Liara replied, "She is only fourteen. All I can think of is some sort of training exercise on Noveria."

"Noveria? In the Horsehead?" the officer tapped away at her datapad. "We don't have any records of a Cerberus presence on Noveria. And in the middle of Alliance territory, right under our noses..." The officer regarded Liara. "With your permission, any information Ms. Shepard can provide will be invaluable to Imperial Intelligence."

"I will consider it once she is acclimatized," Liara answered. "I fear she is too emotionally fragile at the moment."

\---

Shiala had served Matriarch Benezia for nearly two standard centuries. In that time she had engaged Cerberus raiders, fought off members of the Marauder Fleet, and dealt harshly with anything else the enemies of the Empire could throw at her, from twelve year old street urchins given live grenades by their elders and told to march at anyone with blue skin, to geth platforms that were invisible until their shotgun muzzles were pressed against her cheek. Even despite all her battlefield experience, she couldn't expect the same from an unarmed servant.

However Shepard had managed to mimic a States hunter platform, she seemed to be aware of the technology's weakness. Shiala knew what to look for; a cloaked target carried the illusion of snow in the air, the result of a signal interruption as the camouflage software unscrambled itself. The problem was, Shiala couldn't find it. Did the girl have something different?

In the end, Shiala reminded herself, it didn't matter. "Two can play at this game, Shepard," she said, letting her body simmer with biotic energy. Using her powers to seek out the girl wouldn't take her long.

Shepard knew what was about to happen, though. This was the way she was discovered on the Geneva; one of the asari crew got suspicious enough to use her biotics, and before Shepard knew it she was surrounded. She wasn't here to hide, however. Shepard rushed the asari, as quickly and quietly as she could. She gave Shiala as little time as possible; jumping as she grasped the asari's right shoulder, swinging around to her back while throwing her off balance. Perching herself at the base of the older woman's ribcage, Shepard wrenched her skinny form backward, pulling Shiala over her before kicking out with both legs, tossing the asari across the hall, head over heels. Shepard grinned; that had to do it...

\---

The officer nodded. "Of course. The safety of your property is paramount. One final question; I don't think I need to tell you the danger a rebel spy on Thessia poses the Empire..."

Liara's hands folded into each other. Her mother's desk seemed to bring out a different side of her. "Allow me to make this perfectly clear," Liara began, her gaze wandering as she recounted the past week, "She was a fourteen year old girl who had just been biotically beaten, confronted with the prospect of a lifetime of doing Goddess knows what. Within minutes she was quite literally eating from the palm of my hand, leaping into my arms in tears, begging for me to take her in. On Therum she was given the opportunity to escape; she instead returned and saved my life." Liara's eyes returned to the officer. "At this point, her betrayal would be a greater surprise to me than my mother's."

"Your moth..." the officer gave Liara a puzzled look. "Ms. T'Soni, do you know something about Matriarch Benezia's defection that we don't?"

Liara's only response was a gentle smile. "At your clearance level?"

\---

The low throb resonating through the room told Shepard otherwise, as Shiala's biotics caught her fall. She slowly righted herself, regaining her feet as Shepard's cloak faded, revealing to Shiala the young girl crouched over where the asari was just standing, a frustrated scowl on her face. Shepard had played her trump card, and it had failed.

"Much better," Shiala said, "very good. No hesitation, no mercy. Use everything at your disposal; anything less and you've already lost." Shiala relaxed her stance; Shepard held her pose, watching for any sign of a counterattack. "That is the asari combat philosophy; bring yourself to bear fully against your enemy, and then be gone before they can retaliate."

Shepard nodded, recognizing the sense in what the asari was saying. "Hit and run."

"Exactly." Shiala pulled the girl to her feet. "On the battlefield, there's no such thing as fair and unfair. To lose a battle regretting that you had not given everything you have to give is the greatest shame a commando can suffer." Shepard nodded, allowing Shiala to lead her from the hall. "It's about time we took a break anyway."

\---

"Fine," the officer begins reciting a practiced string of legal jargon, punching a few buttons on her datapad, "Jane Shepard's submission has been cited and approved by an Indenture Acquisitions officer, the girl now passes officially into House T'Soni as property of its head. Subsequent visits over the next few months from both Minor Services and Indentured Rights officers will ensure the servant is receiving proper care, full list of terms and conditions available on the extranet."

"House T'Soni thanks you for your services," Liara nodded in thanks, "If I can glean any further information regarding Noveria, I'll be sure to let someone know."

"Of course," the officer rose from her feet. Liara stood as well, playing the good host.

That went fairly smoothly all things considering, Liara decided. Shepard's binding to her was official; with Benezia gone, the last thing she needed was to have someone at IA make a scene and keep House T'Soni in the tabloids. It didn't matter in the long view, especially if her mother's gambit paid off. But in the meantime she knew quite well her mother was playing a dangerous game, and her duty was to remain under the radar in Benezia's absence, for her mother's sake and her own.

The officer gave Liara one last nod of courtesy before walking through the front door. Turning back to her office, she saw Shiala approach her. "Where's Jane?"

"Getting some food," Shiala gestured behind her, "the girl's voracious."

Liara smirked. "In more ways than one," she agreed, "She'll be a great asset. Now, you wanted to debrief?"

Shiala nodded, "Your mother is well," Shiala began, "It's taking some time to fully ingratiate herself with Saren, but he has shown her some favour. They are rarely in the same place, but he trusts her with priority tasks. She's well on her way to a position at his side."

Liara relaxed a little in the knowledge that her mother was doing well. "Has she any idea exactly what he's up to yet?"

Shiala shook her head. "Benezia receives instructions via commlink, relayed through any number of different buoys. The source is dynamic; he seems to be based out of somewhere between the Perseus Veil and the Hegemony, along the outer rim."

"That is a long way from turian space," Liara commented aloud. "What form of work does he have Mother doing?"

"Mostly acquiring researchers," the other asari answered, "Live capture. He sends a representative to your Mother, who escorts the prisoners back to him. Whatever he's up to, it's not something he fully understands, but he's very careful not to let anyone outside his immediate circle know of it."

"Thank you." Liara dwelt on Shiala's report, still unable to conjure a reason for him to be anywhere near Hegemony space. Saren Arterius had a history of making trouble for the Empire; between his turning humanity's subjugation under the Empire into a race war and several other instances of insubordination and warmongering, it was clear he had little love for anyone outside the Hierarchy. But for the last five years he had become uncharacteristically quiet, breeding in Matriarch Benezia a sense of foreboding. Saren was up to something, and House T'Soni would discover exactly what, one way or the other.

She gave a quiet but frustrated growl. "What is it you're after out there, Saren?" she asked herself.


	4. Feedback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liara gives her charge a taste of things to come in the long view.

Liara had always seen House T'Soni as something more autonomous while Benezia was around; by her own experience it was much more hands-on. It had felt like she'd been at the desk for days already, and the pale light of the morning sun had only just concealed itself behind the penthouse's ceiling. Between sunrise and that moment, she had negotiated an increase in production at several manufacturing plants, authorized revisions to key components of several VI products, used her shareholder powers to veto a poor business decision by one of her interim managers, and all sorts of other important decisions she was jumping head-first into. It was a change of pace from being shot at by raiders in dark, dusty caverns while fumbling about for anything vaguely Prothean, but after three months planet-side the novelty of the business world was starting to wear thin.

That sentiment was reflected in Shepard, too. To her credit she was taking well to her lessons; her old timid body language was starting to fade, the burden on her spirit getting lesser and lesser as the days pass. The word 'Cerberus' no longer caused her to flinch; it seemed she'd finally come to terms with it being a decidedly former part of her life. She had even greeted representatives arriving to meet Liara, nothing less than humble and respectful. But as she set about seeing to Liara's hunger, there was still an undeniable... tenseness about her. She missed the field. She took to her sessions with Shiala with more gusto than the lectures about etiquette and remedial history Liara gave her; there had to have been something in her wanting to see those skills put to use.

In the meantime, Liara was training her in more domestic talents. Shepard placed a tray beside the asari's work, standing at Liara's side as she waited for a new command. This was the part of a servant's life many new people had trouble adjusting to; Shepard was taking to it surprisingly well. Liara reached a hand away from her work, sampling the drink Shepard had arranged for her. The cloudy brown liquid was hot to the touch and bittersweet to the taste, a tingling feeling racing through her mouth before suffusing in her chest.

"What is this?" Liara asked.

"Coffee," Shepard replied, "or as close to coffee as I could find at the markets. You look like you could use a pick-me-up..."

Liara hummed acknowledgement before turning back to her work. "It's good. Next time, though... it's a little too milky."

Shepard nodded. "I will adjust." 

Liara sat up in her chair, stretching her arms with a yawn. "Shepard, could you..?"

Shepard moved towards Liara's back, finding purchase on Liara's shoulders to gently press into the tender flesh there. Liara leaned back into Shepard's enthused hands, almost purring. "Why did you come back for me?" the asari murmured.

"Hm?"

"Back on Therum. You had every reason to run."

"This... isn't like you, Ms. T'Soni."

"Shepard..."

"I was jealous," she began wistfully, hands gently working Liara's shoulders, "I'm a spacer kid, most of the other recruits came from frontier settlements. They all had pictures of their homes, their families... all I had was me and my footlocker. I'd see everyone else's pictures of them on solid ground, wind in their hair, family members all around... only time I got planet-side was for exercises. Meanwhile the only family I've ever known is too busy hunting aliens to care about me..."

Liara placed a hand over Shepard's as she softly kneaded her blue shoulders. "If it's any consolation, I know what not having a father feels like," she showed her support, "and since Mother left, I... all I can do is bear it and move on, but... it still hurts, doesn't it?"

"I barely know my mother. I wouldn't even be able to recognize her by face any more." Shepard laughed. "Wonder what she'd think of me going with 'some filthy tentaclehead'?" Shepard's attention went back to Liara's shoulders. "No, what hurts most is... it's the gap inside, that place where someone should be."

Liara smiled, feeling Shepard's nimble fingers in her shoulders. "A gap that you thought could only be filled by an as-ah! right there! asari mistress?"

"Well, you had a very convincing offer," Shepard reminded her offhandedly, working on the knot Liara pointed out, "Go with you or end up a stripper." Liara seemed to still be coming to terms with human humor, blunt as it could be, so Shepard continued from the heart. "Ms. T'Soni, humans have a saying; 'better the devil you know than the one you don't'. When you... melded? with me, you showed me everything you had to offer. The auction house could've seen me wind up with anyone, anywhere, and I doubt all asari would treat someone like me so well... You're the better deal."

"So I'm the better deal," Liara smiled, "Does that mean I fill your gap?"

Shepard burst into a short coughing fit, turning away from the asari quickly, red-faced. She knew what Liara had meant, and if the light chuckle tumbling from Liara's lips was anything to go by, the asari was toying with her. "I will say I've had a lot more fun here than on the Geneva," Shepard managed after regaining her composure.

The asari took in a deep breath as Shepard found another sensitive spot. "I'm glad," she exhaled.

But even as Shepard had answered her, the girl's mind wandered. Did Liara fill the gap? Better question; what was the gap? Is that how Liara saw herself; just her mistress, or... someone capable of gap filling? Whatever Liara saw herself as, Shepard couldn't deny how much happier her days were on Thessia. Liara was feeding her, sheltering her, clothing her, training her, nurturing her... in that sense, Liara was being the mother Shepard hadn't had as long as she could remember. But despite all that, thinking of Liara as a mother... didn't seem right. 

"You've become quite good at this," Liara's comment brought the girl out of her reverie. Liara tilted her head back, bringing Shepard face-to-face with her owner while staying in such a position for Shepard to continue her work. Blue hands raised from the desk to caress the girl's cheeks, gently directing her head to face down and forward, into Liara's waiting eyes.

Shepard took in a sharp breath as a heady thrum shot through her body, Liara's mind grafting itself into her own. Her hands froze as she adjusted to the meld, arousing a sense of bemused understanding seemingly out of nowhere. "Don't stop," Liara's voice whispered, as if laying claim to the foreign emotion.

Shepard resumed her massage, then froze again. She could feel hands on her own shoulders. Shoulders that felt simply divine, as if... Her heart quickened as it finally dawned on her; she was feeling Liara's body. She pressed down experimentally; she felt the muscles yield under her touch as if they were her own. "See how good it feels?" the asari's voice asked.

Shepard could only nod dumbly as her hands continued to work, fingers rhythmically against her mistress' shoulders. With each gentle press, her own shoulders began to unwind and melt, her own back arching in delicious comfort. A sense of relaxation flooded through the human as she closed her eyes, letting out a slow, easy breath. "That's it," Liara encouraged her, "Feel just how well you're soothing me." A warm sensation crept up under her chest, nestling deep under her ribcage, her mind telling her it was pride in a job well done as she relished the ghostly touch of her own fingers. She could see herself through Liara's eyes, how blissfully content she looked as she kept working, how thankful and proud her owner was of her.

"Revel in it, Shepard," Liara assured her, "this is how it feels to serve your mistress." Shepard did as Liara asked, soaking in every speck of warmth and comfort and release of tension her mistress gratefully shared. "Pleasing me, pleases yourself." 

Shepard could already feel her shoulders turned to jelly through her own ministrations by the time Liara's hands closed over her own, a silent request to stop. Shepard's eyes found the asari's, and for a brief moment she saw herself again, felt Liara's satisfaction and gratitude, before the thrum raced over her once more, and she found herself face to face with Liara again, her eyes their usual blue.

Shepard was stuck for words. It wasn't the first time Liara had melded minds with her; nor was it the first time since the Destiny Ascension. But to actually feel Liara's own body, every touch she made on the asari overlapping with her own like that... and then to feel just how happy she was making Liara... She stood silently, hands still cupped to Liara by her own, trying to buy time for her brain to properly process what just happened.

Liara beamed up at her. "Why don't you go and rest a little?"

The human mumbled an "Okay" before wandering off. Liara watched the girl leave, taking another sip of the drink sitting in front of her. It tasted a little better cool. If there was one thing that the asari knew more deeply than any other race in the galaxy, it was patience. In only a few months she had come so far; to think of the kind of servant Liara would have in Jane Shepard in but a few years' time brought a smile to the young house head's lips.


	5. Ghosts of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The honeymoon ends, and both find themselves relying on each other.

Shepard watched the screen intently. The whole experience was like a training sim, being nothing but a camera with a gun in a hostile environment, but as she found herself constantly being reminded, it wasn't just a camera.

"Where to now?" Shiala asked over the comm.

Shepard glanced around the environment. "That sign in front of you directs to the mess hall," Shepard said, "Head that way and I'll be able to get my bearings."

Shiala moved, saying things under her breath about twenty six letter languages and words all looking the same. With no idea what sort of resistance she was facing, Shiala decided that a comm signal AND a translator would make too large a tech signature, especially with a capable translator on the other end of the comm.  Ah, the wonders of a top-of-the-line comm buoy, Shepard marvelled.  Even all the way from Thessia, she was watching Shiala's movements on the other side of the galaxy in nearly real time.

Once Shiala arrived on Noveria, it didn't take long for Shepard to recognize the facility. Only so many places on the planet offered the specific landscape from her memories, and of them only one had a no-questions policy regarding its clientele. Noveria was a special case for Imperial jurisdiction; the planet itself was still subservient to the Empire, but owned, governed and regulated by a private development corporation, who weren't strictly obligated to follow the direction of a House. It was the same sort of freedom bought for Noveria as was given other vassal races, such as the Heirarchy or the States. In short, while the act of aiding and abetting a known group of rebels and terrorists wouldn't exactly be good press for the NDC, it also wouldn't be entirely out of the question.

The fact that Shepard recognized the facility confirmed Liara's suspicions; Cerberus once did have a facility on Noveria. Technically Noveria was human controlled space, so a secret Cerberus position on Noveria wasn't something that went overlooked, but this was the first definitive proof of one. It would mean trouble for the Alliance when the Empire asked what a human planet was doing harbouring a terrorist cell, the Alliance would blame the NDC, and the circus would roll on. However it played out in the political arena, the rifle they'd recovered from Therum was tracked back to a fabrication firm based on Noveria, so it would seem one of the graduates of this place almost killed Liara. That made Noveria her business before I-Sec's.

"This is the mess hall?" Shiala spoke back. Shiala had arrived in a bland colorless room full of plain prefabbed tables and chairs, with a second space cordoned off in the back area for what she assumed was food preparation.

It was an odd experience for Shepard, looking back at the old base. Shiala was already a good few feet taller than her, and that wasn't even years ago when she was last there. Shepard certainly wasn't accustomed to walking at such a height, and the new perspective given by that threw Shepard a little. "Okay, the door to your left takes you to the sleeping quarters, the right goes to training posts and staffrooms."

"Where is the armory?" Liara asked.

"On the way to the training posts," Shepard answered, "head right."

"Right," Shiala said, heading to the double doors to her right. The perspective was still messing with Shepard's head. She should be there with Shiala, she thought. She'd brought the matter up with Liara before Shiala left, but both the asari talked her down. She was too important to her, Liara said, and Shiala had agreed. She wasn't ready for it, and both of the asari that essentially ran her life weren't budging. Shepard respected that, she wasn't in a position not to, but nothing would stop her from feeling bitter about it.

It served as a good comparison for Shepard, though.  Her training with Cerberus was little more than kids’ stuff: how to walk silently, rolling the foot from heel to arch to toes to minimise sound, with the odd long range shooting session on the freezing, blustery ranges.  But watching an asari commando storm a location was eye-opening.  With her biotics it seemed that one footfall in a room was enough time to know the entire contents of the space around her, like a psychic sonar.  Biotic power like that was well beyond her, but in the months since Shepard’s arrival in Thessia Shiala had taught her so much more; how to actively engage enemies instead of simply sneaking by them, battle principles, whatever a non-biotic could possibly learn.  Even now, watching Shiala stalk her way around the base, Shepard recognized actions and techniques the asari had taught her in the past months.  
  
It left little wonder how Shepard was eventually found on that dreadnought; indeed, that she went as long as she did out of sight was a small miracle.  Much less time, Shepard mused, and she might have never met Liara, and Goddess knows what might have become of her.  Shepard looked across at her owner, watching the monitor with a tense interest.  Sending Shiala into what was purported to be enemy territory was a gamble, but with the place seemingly deserted, what risk the venture posed had long passed.  
  
Shepard glanced back at the feed, and saw that her mentor was approaching the armory.  "There," Shepard said through the comm, "Those doors lead to the armory."  
  
Shiala turned, opening the wide doors.  A small bare room greeted her, with a barred window sitting above a counter the only thing of note inside.  A door to the left of it was defended by a lock, connected to a simple digital keypad.  
  
"Good goddess," Shiala breathed, bemused, "an arsenal of weapons and the only thing in the way is a numeric code?"  
  
"Here comes the fun part," Shepard grimaced, "I don’t have the code."  
  
"So what are we even doing here?" Shiala asked, starting to sound a little impatient.  Clearly the human rebel group’s base was getting on her nerves.  
  
"Knock on the wall to the side of the lock," Shepard directed, "find a hollow area."  
  
Shiala did so.  "It’s all hollow."  
  
"Ah, good."  Shepard smiled.  "Punch through it.  About a handspan from the door frame."  
  
Shiala struck the wall, thin plaster crumbling under her fist, exposing a horribly rushed wiring job leading to the combination lock.  "Ugh, you’ve got to be kidding me..." she moaned with disgust.  No failsafe, no redundancies, no backups, just a clump of wires free for the messing with.  
  
Shiala’s shock at the base’s haphazard security amused the human girl.  "Cross the red and yellow wires and the door should open," Shepard informed her.  
  
"Do you mean to say THIS is what’s been eluding the Empire for decades?" Shiala grumbled incredulously as she worked.  
  
"When you think about it," Liara reasoned, "any tech that’s too complex would have aroused suspicion with the NDC.  It may be precisely because they have insisted on such old technology that they’ve managed to stay hidden for so long."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Shiala acquiesced as she finished her work on the wires, the door clicking free of the lock.  Liara and Shepard watched as the asari entered the armory proper.  Shelving units lined the walls, with temporary racks in lines through the middle of the room, each stocked with various forms of weaponry; low caliber pistols, rifles, and different forms of explosive ordnance.  
  
"The more powerful weapons are towards the back wall," Shepard offered, but Shiala instead moved to the counter, her interest drawn by the terminal on the desk there.  
  
"Give me the serial code on that rifle," Shiala asked.  Shepard reached out to pick up the rifle sitting beside her, examining the serial printed on the rifle’s butt.  Shiala slowly punched it into the terminal, Shepard walking her through the keypad designed for the human alphabet in between grunts of annoyance from the asari.  
  
"Got a match," Shiala confirmed, again defeated by the language barrier, "Shepard, can you make any of this out?"  
  
Shepard eyed over the screen Shiala was looking at.  "The serial matches a Titan-three, same model rifle.  Signed out to a Nathan Vale, for use on a covert operation."  
  
"The sniper’s companion referred to him as Nathe," Liara reminisced.  
  
"Simple enough nickname," Shepard confirmed, "Nathan Vale is probably our sniper."  
  
"So that man did get that rifle from here?"  
  
"Can you scroll down on that screen?"  Shepard asked, and Shiala complied, "It says the rifle is part of a batch prefabbed in a separate facility on Noveria."  
  
"You mean to say there’s more than one?" Shiala said in disbelief. "To think they have such a solid foundation here..."  
  
"Is there a picture of this Vale?" Liara asked.  
  
"Not through this terminal," Shepard answered, "Quartermaster wouldn’t be able to browse personnel files.  And I don’t think the CO’s terminal would be unsecured..."  
  
"CO?"  
  
"Commanding officer," Shepard answered, "His office is back the other way a bit, but again, I won’t have the access codes to his terminal."  
  
"We’ve got enough, anyway," Liara decided, "We can prove that Cerberus are operating out of Noveria.  Someone at I-Sec can use this information.  Pull out, Shiala."  
  
"Right," Shiala agreed, leaving the armory to retrace her steps, "I’ll comm you when I’m off-planet."  
  
Shepard let out a sigh, the tension of a mission in progress already waning.  Of course it wasn’t all done until Shiala was safely back on Thessia, but it was as good a time as any to take a breather.  
  
Apparently Liara agreed.  "Shepard, do we still have the ingredients for that drink you made the other day?"  
  
"Yes, ma’am," Shepard answered, rising up to fetch her owner a cup of coffee  
  
"A little cooler this time, please," Liara instructed her, "Make yourself one as well if you wish."  She turned back to the feed as Shiala made her way back through the mess hall.  I-Sec would probably object to Liara snooping around their investigation; house head or not, she still wasn’t even eighty years old, still just a child.  But Liara had a personal interest in this, and now she had proof that Cerberus were training assassins within Imperial borders.  An eighty year old doing what seasoned intelligence agents couldn’t... perhaps there was potential for a career change?  
  
"Liara."  Shiala’s voice drew the house head’s attention back to the feed.  
  
"Go ahead," she said.  
  
"I can feel someone.  A strong biotic field in front of me."  Shiala’s voice was low and tense.  "It wasn’t here before."  
  
"Shepard!" Liara gave a sharp cry, summoning her servant back.  "Is it coming towards you?"  
  
"No," Shiala answered, "Whoever it is, they’re staying by my entry point.  They’re expecting me."  
  
Liara turned to see Shepard eyeing the monitor.  "Shepard, is there another way out of that facility?"  
  
"I can direct her out through the firing range," Shepard offered, "but she’d have to double back to reach her shuttle.  The environment out there... she’d freeze before she made it."  
  
"Approach the field, but be careful," Liara said.  Shiala nodded, moving slowly down the corridor.  Liara and Shepard looked on as Shiala reached her entry point; a glass enclosure, a hole carefully made in the ceiling leading to her shuttle on the nearby roof.  Directly beneath that hole, however, was an asari, tall and gaunt, in flowing black robes.  She laid eyes on Shiala, but very little else could be gleaned from the older asari's unreadable face, aside from a hint of disappointment.

"She shouldn't have sent you back after me," the matriarch muttered solemnly.  Liara shot forward in her seat, recognizing the stranger's voice in an instant.  
  
Shiala also knew the stranger.  "Matriarch Benezia?" Shiala greeted the house head with a confused voice, "What are you doing here?"  
  
The older asari's eyes darted to the left, as if hearing a voice. "No complications," she answered someone, not speaking directly to Shiala, "I have just found something I'd thought I had lost."    
  
Shepard's mind processed the next instant very quickly.  Shiala's head dipped sharply; she'd seen the older asari make a move that Shepard didn't follow, and had fallen into an evasive stance.  It was a move Shepard had seen countless times before in the training halls, honed by decades of a huntress' instinct.  This time, though, Shiala's enemy wasn't a scrawny little human girl.  Benezia gestured at Shiala, and a deep thrum of blue light threw Shiala backward, crumpling against a wall with a groan as the footage beamed back to them took a sudden slack tilt.  Through it Liara could see her mother approach Shiala's body, eyes screwed in what seemed to be fighting off a migraine as she lowered herself to the fallen asari's camera.  
  
"I've failed, Little Wing..." she murmured through gritted teeth, "Stay... away..." With that her headache seemed to fade, and her cool, melancholic demeanour returned, the camera's feed shorting into nothing.  
  
"...Mother?" Liara stared at the monitor, bathing her in noiseless blue static.  What fleeting events were over so quickly, she barely had time to process it.  A tear rolled down Liara's confused cheek, as if her own body made sense of what happened before her conscious mind could.  The asari sunk back into her chair, eyes welling up, and Liara touched the moisture with curiosity. I barely knew my mother, she thought. Why the tears?  I don't even know exactly what happened to her.  Why do I feel so wretched?  
  
A sob escaped Liara's throat.  Somewhere within the young house head took root the acceptance that her mother, what little she knew of her, would never see her again. The asari seemed to meditate on it, her spirit doing its best to maintain composure over her rebellious body.  She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, Shepard's hand gliding over her back in a silent petition.  She nodded, and the human moved quickly, arms winding around to comfort the asari.  Something in Liara broke, nestling against the human in her lap, letting out what needed to be let out over Shepard's head.  
  
"Shepard," Liara said quietly, a gentle stream flowing into the red patch, "your hair is itching me."  
  
The girl in her arms convulsed with a single depressed chuckle.  "Let me in," Shepard pleaded, "Do that thing you do, let me share the load.  I can help..."  
  
Liara's fingers smoothed over Shepard's head. She wanted to meld; she didn't know what she was asking. It was partly Liara's fault; flaunting the power asari had as she did with Shepard.  "That's not necessary," she said, "This is enough."    
  
The somber mood lingered, Liara's mind processing what needed to be done now that her mother's subterfuge was exposed.  But all the while, a corner of her mind dwelt on another persistent thought; how good it self to have someone to hold right now.  The warm child in her lap, hair sodden with tears, the girl warm and alive and devoted to bringing her comfort as she had done for her...  It helped.  It... filled a...  
  
"So what now?"  
  
"What now?" Liara repeated, drying her eyes. "It would seem we're at a dead end. We give I-Sec what we know, and go about our lives."  
  
"But Shiala..." Shepard began.  
  
"There's nothing we can do for her," Liara cut in, "We can only hope Mother won't have her harmed."  
  
Shepard dipped her head, obviously upset. "In the meantime, we have to put all this on hold," Liara changed the subject, toying with the girl's hair, "Focus on something else.  More digs..."  
  
Shepard nodded.  "Is there anything you need right now, Ma'am?"  
  
Liara wasn't in the mood for that drink any more. "No," Liara answered, shifting her weight in the chair, "Just... just stay like this for now..."  Shepard settled in, getting as comfortable as possible, and Liara was happy to bask in her company a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you never thought I'd be back, right?
> 
> Honestly, I'm ashamed of taking this long to get back to it. This has all been partly for being stuck on how exactly to write what's about to happen, and partly for how disenfranchised with the ME universe I'd become after that ending. Why am I back? I could be a punk and just say the Citadel DLC but honestly? Looking through my email every day in the long hiatus I've taken and seeing new kudos and comments, so long after the last chapter. Looking through the kinkmeme and finding new prompts based not just on the original Mirrorverse, but even also a "Salvation-verse". That, that blew my mind.
> 
> So yeah, this is all your fault.


	6. The Vanguard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years pass. Under Liara's gentle hand Shepard matures into a young woman, the two cross paths with those of a common goal, and embark on a tale of redemption and honor.

_"Time soon passes. Even the deepest pain eventually loses its edge in the more vivid reality of the present; then, what once was unbearable becomes strangely familiar. And after much familiarity, it assumes the insignificance of just another milestone, ever marking the journey to higher ground." - Maria Kwami, Secrets of the Bending Grove   
_

* * *

Eden Prime was a bad place to be a Williams, Ashley thought to herself. She must have pissed off someone up the chain of command to get a post like this. Took them long enough, she'd thought privately to herself. She leaned back in her chair at the command bunker, overlooking the day's itinerary. Usual supply shipments, rumors of a smuggling ring to look into, training exercises for the cadets... hm. This one was new. An Empire official coming to collect a package from one of the dig sites up north. Not only that, but it wasn't a noble; whoever was coming wanted it to be all hush-hush, none of the typical blue carpet nonsense.  
  
This was her life now, she thought bitterly. A visiting asari had her champing at the bit for being a break in the routine. The life of an officer. In training she was one of the finest marines the Systems Alliance could possibly produce; if you asked her, throwing her into dress blues and a diplomatic posting was a gross waste of talent. But Ashley's heritage was always going to be enough to get on the fast track for officer's bars, the damned squidheads would have seen to that. How could it not? The grand-daughter of the infamous General Williams, the first human general to 'do the right thing' and surrender to the Empire? The Williams name was a protected species, much to her dismay.  
  
Getting posted as a colonial administrator was bad enough, but to be sent to Eden Prime was even worse. It was on outlying colonies like this that ideologies like Terra Firma were born; the idea that humans should stand alone in the galaxy. Ashley wasn't wholly unsympathetic to the idea, but that sort of idea got you bundled up by the asari. It's why it never went said, only felt; wherever Ashley went in the colony the name Williams followed her like a jinx, earning the scorn and ressentiment of the colonists she was responsible for. She was more like them than they knew, but to the colonists she was just another bluewashed human standing in for the squidheads. One of mankind's first species traitors. All Ashley was to them was some stuck up dignitary reaping the benefits.  
  
Ash was broken from her contemplations by a squeal of static. “Commander, we've got some suspicious air traffic at the southern lookout,” a sentry reported.  
  
Ash sat up in her chair. “That you, Wessels?” she answered. “Do we have any birds for a fly-by?”  
  
“Pollock's nearby, he's moving to hail them now,” Wessels answered. The low, distant rumble was Ash's first sign something was wrong.  
  
“Holy shit,” Welles expleted, “Pollock just got shot down!”  
  
Ash flew to her feet, moving towards the door. “All hands, battle stations,” she barked into her comm. “Unidentified hostile aircraft to the south. What's it doing now, Wessels?”  
  
“It's turning,” came the answer. “I've never seen a bird like it, easily a dreadnought but it's moving like a fri... it's incoming!”  
  
“Red alert,” Ash responded, breaking into a run towards the armory. The hell she was sitting something like this out in a command bunker. “Incoming bogey, all hands battle stations. I want every AA emplacement we've got manned and pointed south. And someone get a distress call out to the Citadel!”  
  
The klaxon that cut through the afternoon air was met with surprise and confusion by the civilians, looking around for an explanation. It took a sprinting Ash's cries of incoming and direction to return to their homes to coax some movement out of them. The streets emptied as word began to spread, with fewer civvies and more Alliance blues scampering to their posts. Over the klaxon roared a near deafening drone from the south, reverberating throughout the whole colony.  
  
“Wessels, what the hell was that!?” Ash shouted into her comm.  
  
“I think it was the bogey!”

The sky went black as the monstrous ship streaked overhead blotting out the sun, followed by several heavy, metallic thuds as pale lumps embedded themselves into the ground from on high. Ash beat feet for the armory, now only a few paces away, locking the door behind her. It'd buy her enough time to climb into some combat gear and get armed, she thought miserably.  
  
“Wessels, what are those things it dropped off?”  
  
“Robots!” he shouted back, the sound of gunfire echoing through his comm signal. “It's a Marauder raid!”  
  
Ash swore to herself as she struggled with her armor. Marauders, just what the afternoon needed. Sure, humanity had its own sects not content with service to the Asari Empire, but the human separatists didn't plunder civilian colonies to keep afloat. The damn quarian rebels did whatever they bloody wanted. It's not like the Quarian States ever did anything about them either; how could they be expected to? It'd be like the Alliance trying to pin Cerberus to the wall.  
  
Ash grabbed the Lancer from her locker, slung a band of grenades over her shoulder, and readied herself at the armory door. Right, Williams, she told herself, you wanted action, well here's some damn action. She punched the door, readying the rifle as it slid open. Almost immediately she poured fire at nearby targets, the rounds of laser fire having next to no effect until one caught a platform in its large spotlight eye. Ash made her way to cover, hoping to advance up the street to Wessels' lookout.  
  
“I'm on my way to you now, Wessels,” she said, “How are you doing?”  
  
“Holding,” he answered back, “barely. Our AA's down, bastards took it out in the first sweep. We're holding off the bots with ground fire, but we could use your help, ma'am.”  
  
“You hold, Wessels,” she ordered, “I'm coming!”  
  
Rounding a corner Ash nailed another two platforms in the flashlight. If there's one thing she was grateful for about all this, Ash thought to herself wryly, it's that taking down these robots was making her one hell of an accurate shot.  
  
“There's more coming in from the south!” Wessels shouted.  
  
“I'm two blocks away,” Ash answered, “You just make sure you hold, damn it!”  
  
Wessels screamed as a battle high took him, rifle fire resonating through the streets as he fought off the synthetic siege. Ash reached the encampment just as he put down the last of the platforms, a bloodied and weary Wessels breathing heavily, but giving Ash an elated smile.  
  
“Good work, Corporal,” Ash lauded the man, who gave a weary salute.  
  
“Thanks, Commander,” he said, slumping to his knees, summoning up his omnitool. What color there was left drained from his face. “That dreadnought's coming back,” he said.  
  
Ash jogged over. “Can you move?”  
  
Wessels ignored her. “There's another ship inbound, Alliance, trying to hail our dock on the tightband. I'll tell it to set down a klik or so south.”  
  
“Wessels, can you move?”  
  
He shook his head, saluting. “It's been an honor and a privilege, ma'am.”  
  
Ash was silent for a moment, before unslinging the band of grenades, tossing them to him. “Give 'em hell, Corporal,” she said.  
  
“Aye aye, ma'am,” he smiled.

Ash turned, heading towards the colony gate. Behind her she heard the thud of a few more Marauder bots slamming into the ground. Ash didn't bother to turn at the staticky sound of the platforms turning towards Wessels' angry last stand, or the deep instantaneous roar of a brace of grenades going at once. All she needed was to put as many paces between her and the butchery she'd just seen. When she heard more of the platforms touching down much closer behind her, however, she needed to pick up the pace.

It was the sound of a different brand of gunfire that forced Ash to the ground, diving for cover. She never saw the round fly over her head; she only felt it, or the pressure of it, like the thunder of an angry god striking home at one of the platform's heads. It didn't so much as pierce the unit's head as it did crush it clean off its shoulders. Ash rolled to her back, lining up the Lancer at the platforms as the thunderbolt's target slumped to the ground, an empty shell. Two more rounds flew overhead, beheading another unit and blowing a hole clean through the third, exposing its inner workings for Ash to pepper with gunfire, forcing it down. With the robots taken out, Ash scrambled to her feet, readying her Lancer to engage the new target.  
  
The figure emerged toting a Widow over her shoulder, encased head to toe in black armor. The blue trim suggested Alliance, but the way the soldier carried herself said otherwise; it was almost as if she was stalking Ash. The make of the armor itself also wasn't standard issue in any Alliance outfit she'd known of; the helmet looked like TACC gear, one of their high-end Deathmask range, but the rest was unrecognizable.  
  
“Stand down, human,” the sniper said, shifting the Widow's weight over her shoulder to reveal a crest over her right breast, the four-pointed bloom of Armali. An asari, Williams thought.  
  
“Ma'am,” Ash said reflexively, offering a quick informal salute. “Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams, Alliance Marines.”  
  
The sniper ignored her greeting. “Any other survivors, Charlie?”  
  
“Not near us,” Ash answered. It was squidheads like this that made her dislike them all, so uppity and self-important. “Might be some near the barracks to the northeast.”  
  
The asari looked into the distance. “There aren't.”  
  
“What are you doing here?” Ash almost spat out, irritably.  
  
The black helm turned, regarding the human for a moment. “Are you injured?”  
  
“Uh, no, ma'am.”  
  
“Were these platforms using smokescreens?”  
  
It was a strange enough question for Ash to get from the asari. “No, ma'am.”  
  
“So there's nothing wrong with your eyes, then?”  
  
“Uh...”  
  
“So you can see this crest?” the asari gestured to her chest. There wasn't any outright malice in her voice, but it carried a certain pressure to it.  
  
“I... I can, ma'am.”  
  
“This crest means you don't get to address me that way,” the sniper finished. “I don't care who your grandfather was, Charlie. Speak like that to me again and I can make your life much less comfortable.”  
  
Whoever it was, she knew the name Williams. Ash forced the sneer from her lips, taking on a stony featurelessness to hide the seething anger under the surface. “Yes, ma'am.”  
  
Satisfied that Ash was sufficiently cowed, the black-clad sniper turned to the north, the synthetic gunfire peeling in the distance. “I'm the advocate from House T'Soni,” the asari answered. “I came to collect the artifact.”  
  
“You... you landed?” Williams wondered aloud. “Didn't you see the ship on the way in?”  
  
“I did, human,” the sniper answered curtly. “Luckily for both of us, it didn't see me.” At this the sniper turned back to Ash. “Can you lead me to the spaceport?”  
  
Ash cringed. The place would be swarming with those robots by now, but clearly there'd be no dissuading the asari. With a discontented sigh, she turned back for the colony. “We'll be fighting through the center of the colony, uh...”  
  
“Call me Blue,” the sniper said. “I prefer that one to 'squidhead'.” Hefting her rifle to bear, she motioned for Ash to lead the way.

The next five minutes were largely uneventful as the two marched through the colony's backroads, moving corner to corner. Whoever Blue was, Ash thought to herself, she knew her way around a battlefield. She was definitely more than a typical asari noble; the way she moved between cover points, the scoping out of high vantage points an enemy would shoot from, she'd almost certainly seen some sort of combat. And she wasn't alone; every so often the sniper would duck her head to the side, as if trying to hear something on the wind. She was being directed by a handler over comms.  
  
It was after such an interruption that Blue changed tack, directing Ash off the path to the spaceport.  
  
“Ma'am, the spaceport is this wa-”  
  
“Detour,” she said simply, without any further explanation. Ash followed the asari's lead, left to stew in the first word she'd said to her in what felt like hours. Well, Ash, you wanted to see action, she thought bitterly to herself. You wanted out of the command bunker. Welcome to the life of an Imperial grunt.  
  
It didn't take long for Ash's curiosity to go answered. It was a wider alley of sorts, the closest they'd find to a clearing in the colony's backstreets. An Alliance homing beacon was set up next to a body, human, wearing Navy combat gear, with another lying nearby. Whoever it was had probably hoped for an evacuation before they bled out.  
  
“He's alive,” the asari gestured to the one closest to the beacon, reaching for her hip. Tossing Ash a small medigel dispenser, she raised her Widow again, sights focused on the main path of ingress. The sound was enough to elicit a groan from the wounded man, as Ash rushed in.  
  
“Where are you hit, soldier?” Ash asked. He lifted his left arm, revealing a bloody puncture in his left side. The man grit his teeth as Ash tried to prop the soldier up, to better get to the wound.  
  
“Gut shot,” he grimaced as the LC went to work with the medigel, “Hurts like hell, but I'll live. What about Jenkins?” He tried to look over to the other Navy man. Ash briefly shook her head, telling the injured man all he needed to know about his friend's fate. Ash checked the man's pauldron for officer marks. A Lieutenant; one below her.  
  
“LC Williams, Marines,” she introduced herself, “What's a Navy man doing here, Lieutenant?”  
  
“Alenko,” he relaxed as Ash lowered him back to the ground. “I'm with a ground team, we're escorting a Council Spectre on a pickup.”  
  
“A turian?” the sniper embedded herself into the conversation.  
  
“...Yeah,” Alenko answered. “How'd you know that?”  
  
“I was sent to secure his pickup,” Blue answered. “Nihlus went dark over comms, I came to investigate.”  
  
“Investi...” recognition sparked in Alenko's eyes. “Nihlus was dirty?”  
  
Blue's head darted to the left. “Either that or he was being played,” Blue answered the man. “Echo, you'll...”  
  
“Alenko.”  
  
The sniper paused. “Kaidan,” she drew out the injured soldier's first name, “you'll wait for the Normandy to collect you, then direct them to the spaceport north of here. Once Williams and I have concluded our business we will need extraction.”  
  
“How did y...” the question died on Kaidan's lips as another more pressing one took precedence. “Who are you?”  
  
“Tell your Captain Anderson that he will be compensated for his service to House T'Soni,” she finished, turning back to the road. “Let's move, Charlie.”  
  
The two left Alenko, continuing north. Back to the silence then, Ash thought.  
  
“If you don't mind my asking, Blue,” she hazarded a question, “what's with the callsigns?”  
  
“Callsigns?”  
  
“Charlie? Echo?”  
  
“I misheard his name,” she said.  
  
“Hm,” Ash pondered, “Sounded pretty clear to me...”  
  
“Not from him,” the sniper corrected, tapping the side of her helmet. “From my handler.”  
  
“And Charlie?”  
  
“It's shorter than Lima Charlie,” she responded, “Lieutenant Commander Williams.”  
  
Ash mulled over what the asari had just told her. “You're quite familiar with Alliance jargon for an asari...”  
  
“I've worked with humans before,” she said curtly, eager to bring the matter to a close.  
  
“Where?”  
  
“Cerberus training facility on Noveria.”  
  
Ash's brow furrowed with confusion. “Cerberus doesn't have a base on Noveria.”  
  
“Not any more, they don't.”  
  
Ash gave a short laugh at the answer. “Guess you're alright after all, Blue,” she smiled. “Why Blue, anyway?”  
  
The sniper paused. “Maybe it's my red hair,” she mused.

The alleyways and prefabs made way for open parkland, which they were able to move through with much more haste. It wasn't much longer before the spaceport came into view, with only a deserted dock to navigate. Even from the rise overlooking the dock, Blue caught sight of something. Examining whatever had caught her interest more closely through her scope, the sniper gave a tired groan.  
  
“Nihlus,” she said, seemingly to nobody in particular. “He's dead.”  
  
“The Spectre?” Ash asked. Blue moved down the hill, ignoring Ash for the time being. “Hey!”  
  
As the two got closer to the turian's body, it became clearer what happened. There was no fire-riddled torso or face, only a single entry wound underneath the Spectre's crest. One tap, back of the head. It wasn't a firefight, it was an execution.  
  
“Academic at this point,” Blue muttered. “Poor bastard probably never knew it was coming.”  
  
Before Ash could ask what Blue was talking about, Ash's comm crackled. “Commander Williams, this is SSV Normandy, please respond.”  
  
Ash was almost thankful for the distraction. “Normandy, this is Williams, go ahead.”  
  
“We just picked up LT Alenko, had a bit of a story to tell. Are you accompanying an Imperial agent?”  
  
“Wait a moment,” Blue told her handler. “Normandy, this is House T'Soni. Are you able to provide assistance?”  
  
“We would, T'Soni, but the LZ Alenko described is hot. Enemy activity, and readings I've never seen before.”  
  
“Then we will proceed on foot and clear the landing area,” Blue said. “Will you be able to organise an extraction then?”  
  
“Uh, yeah, sure,” the Normandy's pilot answered. “Thanks for understanding, I guess.”  
  
Blue turned back to Ash, studying the human for a moment. “I understand that I owe you an explanation,” she said, “but can we move while I do so?”  
  
Was this asari... reasoning with her? Blue wasn't obligated to explain anything. She could just say 'jump' and expect Ash to ask how high. It was sort of creepy that the sniper wasn't running roughshod over her as she did before. “Okay,” Ash said uneasily, leading the way.   
  
“I'm after a rogue turian,” she explained, “another Spectre. Probably killed Nihlus. He's been abducting scientists and researchers all throughout Imperial space, raiding archaeological digs for artifacts. House T'Soni has been chasing him down for almost a decade now. There's a... personal element to it, but we believe that unchecked his actions could-”  
  
Blue was interrupted by a deafening roar. “That's the dreadnought!” Ash interrupted. Away to the north, the massive ship rose into the air, almost vertically. No ship Ash could think of moved like that...  
  
“Damn it, we have to hurry,” Blue said, picking up the pace. “He will have left bombs.”  
  
“House T'Soni, this is SSV Normandy, whatever that ship is, it's clearing out. We can meet you at the LZ.”  
  
“Do not proceed, repeat, do not proceed,” Blue ordered, “The landing area is not clear!”  
  
Gunfire squealed as it struck the wall behind Ash, and both women ran forward in a low crouch. “Bombs and robots,” Ash said, “Wonderful.”  
  
Blue leaned out of cover, squeezing off two rounds from the Widow. Something was off about that gun, Ash realised. Widows were bolt-action anti-vehicle rifles. Hell, the recoil on it should snap a human's arm. But this sniper's firing whole volleys at once. Cybernetics? Some sort of counterbalance with her biotics?  
  
“Clear!” she shouted, heading up to a footbridge, no-man's-land for any encroaching platforms. Ash followed, keeping low behind what little cover there was.  
  
“I saw the bombs,” Blue told Ash. “They're inside cover along the far walls. If we can push the synthetics back quickly enough, we can disarm them.”  
  
Ash was exasperated. “Please tell me you've got a way to do that?” she asked.  
  
Blue's omnitool sprung to life as she rose above cover and gestured to the gathering throng of robots. The gunfire continued, but none of it seemed to be aimed at her or Ash. “Come on!” the asari said, running for the alcove past the bridge.  
  
Ash broke into a sprint, daring to glance at the synthetics, preoccupied with shooting each other. The asari must have hacked them, Ash figured, reaching the safety of cover.  
  
“Probably should've started with this,” Blue asked, almost sheepishly, “but you can defuse bombs, right?”

Ash scoffed, getting to work. Blue stood up, pinning herself to the edge of cover, sabotaging the platforms again. Rolling out of cover, she lined up her Widow, spraying pieces of synthetic head in all directions at the far end of the walkway. Ash had just finished with the bomb as Blue rose from her belly.  
  
“We're clear,” she said, pointing to another alcove. “You handle that bomb, I'll see to the one ahead.”  
  
Ash nodded, moving forward. After disposing of the bombs, the two met at the entranceway, before passing into the loading dock to locate Blue's prize. Even at the first cursory glance, Blue found what she was looking for; a large pillar, glowing with a green hue emanating from sweeping curves along the flatter sides.  
  
“It's here,” she told her handler. “It will take a minute to get the crew to load it into... oh... wait, then how do I... that's a bit of a risk, isn't... of course.”  
  
The sniper turned to Ash. “I'm going to turn that thing on.” she said, gesturing to the pillar.  
  
“You don't seem happy about it.”  
  
“At best, it's going to be very painful,” Blue said, seemingly working herself up mentally to do it. “At worst, I'll be incapacitated.”  
  
Ash nodded her understanding. “And you're telling me this, because...”  
  
“If I'm knocked out, I'm placing my faith in you to get me aboard the Normandy.”  
  
“Do I have a choice?”  
  
“My handler has heard this exchange, and knows your name and rank,” Blue said. “So no.”  
  
“Wonderful. Knock yourself out, I guess.”  
  
Blue walked over to the green pillar, stalling in front of it. She was definitely nervous about it, Ash thought to herself, watching as the sniper tentatively reached out an armored hand.  
  
An arc of green light flung itself from the pillar, engulfing Blue, grimacing with the effort of whatever was happening to her. The sniper lifted into the air, limbs flying apart as she hung there, splayed out, groaning in agony. Ash looked on in horror as the sniper's voice reached a blood curdling crescendo, an almost primal scream of anguish before the light pulsed, the pillar blasting apart at the middle and sending its victim careening to the ground.  
  
Ash hurried to the aid of the sniper; it was her ass if Blue came to any grief.   
  
“Normandy, come in, LZ is clear,” Ash called out to the frigate lying in wait. “The asari's down, prep your med bay.”  
  
“Roger, Williams,” the ship's pilot answered, “Coming in.”  
  
Ash's attention returned to the sniper at her feet. The rise and fall of her chest told her that Blue was at least breathing. The helmet wasn't going to do her any favors, Ash decided, reaching for the armor's clasps.

“Is she okay?” Ash gave a start, not knowing where the voice had come from. It wasn't Blue's; the voice was far breathier, lighter, and carrying enough static for Ash to know it was coming over a comm buoy from somewhere far away. That must be her handler, wherever she is.  
  
“Breathing,” Ash answered, “I can't check her pulse without taking off her helmet.”  
  
The breathy voice stayed silent for a moment. “Do it.”

Ash reached for the clasps again, lifting the sniper's helmet from her head. Ash was expecting the sniper's head to slump back, and was ready to catch it. What she wasn't ready for, though, was the cascade of crimson hair spilling out from the helmet. The sniper Ash had assumed all this time was an asari, was human. She heard Blue in her mind, the quip about her red hair. Well I'll be damned, she thought.  
  
“What you see is to remain between you, I, and the Normandy's physician,” the breathy voice intoned, with a cold sternness that took Ash by surprise. “Have I made myself clear, Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams?”  
  
“Yes,” Ash answered, hand moving to the woman's neck. “Pulse is steady. She'll be fine.”  
  
“Replace her helmet before the Normandy arrives,” the woman over the comms instructed her. “You will stay with her in the ship's med bay.”  
  
“Whose instructions should I tell the captain I am following?” Ash ventured a question as she slid the woman's helmet back on.  
  
“The captain will know you are following Imperial command,” the voice assured her. All the secrecy and intrigue around this voice was starting to get on Ash's nerves. “When she comes to, she'll be disoriented. You need to tell her that Little Wing understands.”  
  
“Little Wing understands. Got it.”  
  
“House T'Soni is grateful for your assistance.”   
  
Ash sat back, satisfied that whatever squidhead was on the other end of that comm wasn't going to come after her once all this was over. “Who is she to you?”  
  
“Pardon?”  
  
“An asari speaking to me from the armor of a human posing as an asari? You have to admit it arouses the curiosity.”  
  
“She is many things to me.”  
  
More vagueness and secrecy. Ash scowled. She may as well be admitting to the woman being a slave. It's not something she saw often, but she knew how the asari operated; Blue, or whatever her real name was, a woman not too much different from Ash herself, was the asari's property.  
  
“I fear I may have pushed her a little too far today, if that's what you're implying,” her handler broke the silence. “But make no mistake, I do care for her.”  
  
“But you do own her?”  
  
“Yes.” Ash hadn't expected such a simple, matter-of-fact answer. Perhaps she expected even a slight pause, the barest hint of hesitation in admitting to owning a human being; the voice had nothing to that end.  
  
Ash acknowledged the asari's answer with a noncommittal hum, processing the circumstances the nameless woman faced. It was hard for Ash not to default to feeling pity for her. Sure, she might not be entirely content with the officer's life, but she couldn't even begin to comprehend what each day might be like for a servant to a squidhead.  
  
A growing whine of engines brought Ash back to the world. “The ship's here.”  
  
“It's been a pleasure speaking with you, Commander Williams,” the voice signed off. “Please look after her for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. More coming.


End file.
